Wish You Were Here is the ninth studio album by Pink Floyd, released on September 12, 1975 through Harvest Records and Columbia Records, their first release for the latter. Based on material Pink Floyd composed while performing in Europe, Wish You Were Here was recorded over numerous sessions throughout 1975 at Abbey Road Studios in London.
The album's themes include criticism of the music business, alienation, and a tribute to founding member Syd Barrett, who left seven years earlier with deteriorating mental health. Like their previous record, The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Pink Floyd used studio effects and synthesisers. Guest singers included Roy Harper, who provided the lead vocals on "Have a Cigar", and Venetta Fields, who added backing vocals to "Shine On You Crazy Diamond". To promote the album, the band released the double A-side single "Have a Cigar" / "Welcome to the Machine".
Track listing[]
| Side one | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length | ||||||||
| 1. | "Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I-V)" | 13:32 | ||||||||
| 2. | "Welcome to the Machine" | 7:28 | ||||||||
Total length: |
21:00 | |||||||||
| Side two | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Length | ||||||||
| 1. | "Have a Cigar" (featuring Roy Harper) | 5:08 | ||||||||
| 2. | "Wish You Were Here" | 5:35 | ||||||||
| 3. | "Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I-V)" | 13:32 | ||||||||
Total length: |
23:11 | |||||||||
History[]
After the success of the previous album Dark Side of the Moon , the band had to come up with a sequel. The basic material for this new album got through live performances form. The following numbers would come on the album: "Shine On You Crazy Diamond," "You Gotta Be Crazy" and "Raving and Drooling". However during the creation process was "Shine On" too long for a single side of an LP album (lp) and had to be split into two parts.
Roger Waters convinced the rest of the band that they had to delete the other two numbers. [source? ]These two would two years later on the album be released Animals , under the titles "Dogs" and "Sheep". Between the two "Shine On"-parts were made by Waters three new compositions. These refer to the circumstances of and around the band at the time. "Wish You Were Here" is about the verveeldheid and frustration of music, and "Welcome to the Machine" and "Have a Cigar" are caricatures of the negative aspects of the music industry.
Because Roger Waters didn't trust his own vocal arts[citation needed], Roy Harper was asked to Have A Cigar in to sing. Harper was a label-mate (Harvest) of the Floyd and was working on his album two doors further to include H.Q. .
During the recording of Wish You Were Here on the tensions between the band members started to run. This album is also the last album on which Richard Wright got credits for co-writing the result. Roger Waters at the next albums would increasingly determine the output of the band.
Characteristics[]
The album is dedicated to Syd Barrett, who had previously left the band due to excessive drug use was set. The name of Syd Barrett is also reflected in the title of the album's longest track: (S) hine on (y) ou iamond (d) crazy. [source? ]During the final mix of Shine on... came a big bald man impressed and within that a confused initially by no one recognized for his Hare Krishna-appearance. It was Syd Barrett, to whom the plate actually was dedicated. The band members had not seen Barrett over about four years and then saw him anymore.
All the tracks blend together. The LP was originally packaged in a cardboard sleeve which in turn was packed in black shrink wrap. Useful for removing the shrink wrap covers the actual was visible, with a photo of the two men shaking hands while the rechterman is on fire. The shrink film was later omitted.
Receipt[]
The album was a huge commercial success. The outcome in the second week after obtained the first place in the English album lists. In 1970, five years earlier, was the number-one position for Atom Heart Mother.
Occupation[]
- David Gilmour – vocals, guitar, lap steel guitar, EMS Synthi AKS, additional bass guitar, additional keyboards, tape effects.
- Roger Waters – vocals, bass guitar, additional guitar, VCS3, tape effects.
- Richard Wright – keyboards, VCS3, backing vocals
- Nick Mason – drums, percussion, tape effects
- Roy Harper – vocals on "Have a Cigar"
- Dick Parry – saxophone on "Shine on You Crazy Diamond"
- Michael Bufando - saxophone on "Shine on You Crazy Diamond"
- Venetta Fields – background vocals on "Shine on You Crazy Diamond"
- Carlena Williams – background vocals on "Shine on You Crazy Diamond"
- Stéphane Grappelli – violin on "Wish You Were Here" (almost do not hear on final mix)
Technicians and designers[]
- Brian Humphries – sound engineer
- Peter Christopherson – Assistant Designer (see Hipgnosis)
- Peter James – engineer, Assistant Engineer
- Hipgnosis – design, photography
- Storm Thorgerson – re-design
- Phil Taylor – additional photography (remaster)
- Jill Furmanovsky – additional photography (remaster)
- George Hardie – illustrations
- Richard Manning – Assistant Designer
- Howard Bartrop – Assistant Designer
- Jeff Smith – Assistant Designer
- James Guthrie – Remasteringproducer
- Doug Sax – Remastering
- Gerald Scarfe – "Welcome to the Machine"-music video
Trivia[]
- In the last seconds of the album Wright plays the chorus of their old song "See Emily Play".
- The four notes played at the beginning of "Shine On" come in all songs back.
- The phrase "Oh by the way, which one's Pink?" from "Have a Cigar" is not made up. The question was once asked by an American record vouchers.